Commissioners block 'Highlands' development extension

SAN MARCOS -- To residents' cheers, the Planning Commission
denied developers a time extension on a 230-home project in the
rural Twin Oaks area Monday night.

Project developer Farouk Kubba of KB Homes requested the
extension to allow environmental and county agencies time to
approve the project's proposed map.

For years, the development, called the San Marcos Highlands
Project, has run up against complaints that it would intrude on
wildlife areas and interrupt the community's rural atmosphere north
of Las Posas Road.

The commission voted against the project in July 2002, but the
City Council approved it a month later with a two-year deadline.
With a 60-day grace period, the approval of the project is
scheduled to expire in September.

"Your discretion is whether to extend the project or not --
that's it," Peak told commissioners.

Following public testimony, commissioners voted 4-1 against the
extension.

"I voted against the project two years ago, so I don't see how I
could approve it now," Commissioner David Burns said.

Residents applauded the outcome.

Kubba told commissioners that his team had worked diligently the
last two years with federal agencies but had gotten bogged down by
agencies' staff changes and requests.

"(The agencies) have issues and we are addressing them and it
takes time, but we're asking to have a chance to meet those
agencies guidelines," Kubba's attorney Jeff Chine told
commissioners before the vote.

Chine added that the team has submitted an application to the
county's Local Agency Formation Commission. The commission's
approval is needed to allow the city to annex the two-thirds of the
proposed site that is now located outside the city.

But residents said time is up and predicted the agencies and the
county commission would find the same problems they had.

"Why extend this project when it's been doomed from the start?"
resident Jim Vollgraff asked.

Other opponents cited environmental concerns, saying the
development would invade a serene habitat home to numerous wildlife
and the headwaters of Hedionda Creek.

If built, the development would cut through the wildlife's
corridor, preventing the animals from traveling to the wetlands
area located on the west side, said Mary Clarke, Friends of
Hedionda Creek member. The grassroots group has longed opposed the
area's development.

Other residents said the proposed project clashes with the
country surroundings.

Resident Sandy Lord said the high-density development crams 230
homes into too small an area -- a contrast to the valley's
spread-out community and agricultural space.

Developers had earlier refuted the claims, saying two-thirds of
the 224 acres would remain undeveloped to transition to the country
area.

Some residents worried the housing project would require an
extension of Las Posas Road to Buena Creek Road.

Planning Division Director Jerry Backoff said the extension
isn't in the plans but could be a possibility after the area had
been built-out.

Commissioners denial of the extension automatically sends the
decision to the City Council for review. Kubba is used to
delays.

Since 1981, Kubba has redrafted the proposal and presented it
before the commission and council several times.

"Residents say they're tired, but I am too," Kubba said. "I'd
like to put this to bed."